Cultured meat: commercialization and regulatory roundup
At Vireo, we keep close surveillance on commercialization and regulatory developments in cultured and alt-protein meat and seafood, and we have rarely seen as much activity as this! Here is our roundup of the latest developments.
US FDA has "no questions" about GOOD Meat
GOOD meat becomes the second startup to secure a "no questions" letter from the US FDA, paving the way for possible USDA approval and commercialization. Following the announcement, FDA published a 155-page report, prepared by Good Meat, which provides technical details on the cell culturing conditions, including media constituents and characterization of the final cultured chicken.
Growth media proteins from caterpillars
Spanish company Cocoon Biosciences is using caterpillars infected with engineered Baculovirus to produce proteins used in growth media. The caterpillars excrete mucus that can be readily harvested, and the protein extracted. It's an interesting approach now supported by an additional €15 million (USD $15.9 million) round of investment.
Plant and cultured proteins make a good burger; it's Wagyu
US-based Ohayo Valley showcased their blend of plant-based and cultured meat at a private tasting event. The burgers were, apparently, excellent, and the company emphasized the source of their cultured cells – Wagyu cattle.
The first precision fermentation-produced lactoferrin
US-based TurtleTree hosted a tasting event for food and beverages containing their precision-fermented lactoferrin. The bioactive milk protein is a functional ingredient that promises immunity, iron regulation, and digestive health benefits. Lactoferrin’s use in supplements and infant formulas is currently limited by cost and availability. Commercial launch of this new product is anticipated in Q4 of 2023.
Chinese chicken
Hangzhou-based company Jimi Biotech, which developed China's first cultured chicken, announced an additional round of angel funding. Their product is 100% animal cells, containing no scaffolding materials, and they claim to have significantly reduced the cost of their culture medium.
Scaling up in Malaysia
Malaysian meat company, Cell AgriTech, says it will start the construction of its first cultured meat production plant in Penang, set to be completed by the end of 2024, with a total investment of RM20 million (USD $ 4.5 million). They are aiming to produce cultured meat at a cost of less than USD $10 per kilogram.
No more impossible chicken in Australia
Impossible Foods' plant-based chicken nuggets have been removed from stores in Australia following the discovery of calcium pantothenate. The ingredient is a form of vitamin B5 found ubiquitously in plants and animal tissues, but it is not currently permitted in meat analogs under Australian food safety rules.
Low-cost, edible microcarriers for cell culture
Israeli cultured meat company MeatAfora has raised USD $5 million to scale up its platform, which uses edible microcarriers made from vegetable fat and proteins. The company claims its microcarriers contribute to a more scalable, lower-cost, and sustainable production process and contribute to the final product's nutritional profile.
US company Matrix F.T., is also developing edible scaffolds and microcarriers that contribute to the fat content in the final product. At a recent cultured and plant-based meat tasting event, guests commented on the "great mouthfeel" and enhanced flavor when they compared products cultured with and without the microcarriers.